Review: Snow Grenades Off Grid Energy Tablets

As a rule, I’m not a fan of using stimulants during rides as I tend to be quite sensitive to caffeine. I always feel great during the buzz…but I tend to come down hard after the caffeine crash. Generally, my mood suffers, as does my energy and concentration. For this reason I tend to steer clear of caffeine during rides and just have a coffee 30 minutes pre-ride, with coconut oil mixed in, so I don’t have to have the big ‘come down’ after the caffeine wears off.

Because of this, I tried out the Snow Grenade Off Grid Tablets with some trepidation. Not having caffeine while I ride usually, I didn’t know how I’d react. I was pleasantly surprised. The tablets taste good – the kind of taste where you want to keep having another sip, which was great to keep me hydrated as I found myself wanting to take a drink. The tablets also mix well in water and I wasn’t aware of any lumps. They just dropped into my hydropak and that was that. No mixing or shaking required. They have a slightly sour, slightly sweet taste, which I really enjoyed.

A big selling point for the tablets, is the fact that they contain natural ingredients, as opposed to the synthetic kind found in some other products. For the health conscious, this is a big benefit.

I noticed a definite increase in concentration and focus, likely mainly due to the caffeine. It was quite subtle though. Think the kind of buzz you get from a Green Tea, rather than after necking a Double Espresso. The product does also contain B Vitamins, Guarana, Green Coffee Beans, Ginseng and Rhodiola, all of which are believed to have strong positive effects on mental energy and concentration levels.

Can I state for sure that the herbal extracts made a difference to my energy levels over and above the effects of the caffeine? I can’t be sure, no. However, what I can say is not once did I have an energy lull on the ride, nor did I find my concentration lacking. I also found that I didn’t get the usual big caffeine crash that I normally get and none of the negative side effects usually associated with caffeine. In fact, a couple of hours after my ride I went go-karting, and I must admit my concentration was still high.

Will I now be using the Snow Grenade Off Grid caffeine tablets on every ride? No. However when I want to go on a 90 minute or 2 hour ride and really push the pace and go all out, or when I’m doing a hill repeat session, I’ll be throwing a couple in my hyrdopak and enjoying that increase in focus and concentration.